# A75 autoroute

The A75 is an autoroute (motorway) in France.
Known also as la Méridienne, it is a developmental project with the aim of speeding up and reducing the cost of car travel from Paris southwards, and apart from the Millau Viaduct, it is entirely free for the 335 km (208 mi) between Clermont-Ferrand and Béziers. It was due for completion in spring 2011, but was fully open in December 2010.
South of St. Flour there are excellent views of the Garabit viaduct.
A large portion of the A75 is also part of the European route E11.

## Engineering achievements

The building of a motorway across the Massif Central is, in itself, a formidable achievement. Much of the motorway runs at an altitude in excess of 800 metres (2,600 ft) with 50 kilometres (31 mi) in excess of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft).
The single most impressive feature is undoubtedly the Millau Viaduct, which carries the road over the Tarn. It was constructed under a government contract with the Eiffage group, effective for 75 years. Eiffage collects tolls at agreed rates making this the only tolled part of the A75.
Other impressive features include: Viaducts and bridges
* Viaduc de la Violette, 560 metres (1,840 ft) long, between junctions 21 & 22
* Pont sur la Truyère, 311 metres (1,020 ft) long, between junctions 30 and 31
* Viaduc du Piou, 414 metres (1,358 ft) long, between junctions 38 and 39
* Viaduc du Ricoulong, 342 metres (1,122 ft) long, between junctions 38 and 39
* Viaduc de la Planchette, 221 metres (725 ft) long, between junctions 38 and 39
* Viaduc de Verrières, 710 metres (2,330 ft) long, between junctions 44 and 44.1
* Viaduc de la Garrigue, 340 metres (1,120 ft) long, between junctions 44.1 and 42
* Viaduc de Millau, 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) long, between junctions 45 and 46
Passes
* 990 metres (3,250 ft) between junctions 24 and 25
* Col de la Fageole, 1,107 metres (3,632 ft), between junctions 26 and 27
* Col des Issartets, 1,121 metres (3,678 ft), the highest point on the A75, between junctions 36 and 37
* Col de la Fagette, 882 metres (2,894 ft), between junctions 40 and 41
* Col d'Engayresque, 888 metres (2,913 ft), between junctions 44 and 44.1
Tunnels
* Tunnel de Montjezieu, 616 metres (2,021 ft), long at an altitude of 650 metres (2,130 ft), between junctions 39.1 and 40
* Tunnel de Pas d'Escalette, 725 metres (2,379 ft) southbound, 830 metres (2,720 ft) northbound, between junctions 50 and 51
* Tunnel de la Vierge, 474 metres (1,555 ft), between junctions 52 and 53

## The route

A75 Autoroute junctions, listed north to south :
| km | Junc. No. | Northbound exits | Southbound exits | Notes |
| 0 | | | | A71 becomes A75 at Clermont-Ferrand |
| 1.5 | 1 | La Pardieu, Billom, Cournon | Billom | No northbound entry |
| 4 | 2 | Bordeaux, La Bourboule, Le Mont Dore, Aubière | La Bourboule, Le Mont Dore, Aubière | |
| 5 | 3 | Pérignat-lès-Sarliève, Z.I. Cournon, La Roche Blanche, Orcet, Le Cendre | Cournon | |
| 6.5 | 4 | Orcet, Le Cendre, Vic-le-Comte, La Roche-Blanche | Le Cendre, Pérignat-lès-Sarliève, La Roche-Blanche | |
| 10 | 5 | Veyre-Monton, St-Amant-Tallende | Orcet, St-Amant-Tallende, Aydat | |
| 15 | 6 | Veyre-Monton, Murol, Chambon sur Lac, Champeix, St Nectaire | Veyre-Monton | |
| 18.5 | 7 | Montpeyroux, Coudes | Montpeyroux | |
| 21 | 8 | - | Coudes, Vic-le-Comte | Southbound entry and northbound exit only |
| 23 | 9 | Sauvagnat, St-Yvoine | Sauvagnat, St-Yvoine | |
| 26.5 | 10 | La Ribeyre | La Ribeyre | |
| 28.5 | 11 | Issoire centre | - | Southbound exit and northbound entry only |
| 31 | 12 | Issoire-les-Prés, Orbeil | Issoire-les-Prés, Orbeil | |
| 31.5 | 13 | Issoire couze, Parentignat, Sauxillanges, Ambert, St Germain | Issoire couze, Parentignat, Sauxillanges, Ambert | |
| 34 | 14 | Issoire aérodrome | Issoire centre, Champieux, St Nectaire, Besse | No northbound entry |
| 39 | 15 | Le Broc, St Germain, Ardres, Le Breuil | - | No northbound exit |
| 38 | 16 | - | Le Broc | No southbound exit |
| 41 | 17 | St-Germain-Lembro, Jumeaux | St-Germain-Lembron, Le Breuil | |
| 45.5 | 18 | Charbonnier, Brassac, Ste Florine | Brassac, Charbonnier | |
| 50 | 19 | Lempdes | - | Southbound exit and northbound entry only |
| 51 | 20 | Lempdes, Vergongheon, Brioude, Le Puy en Velay | Lempdes, Vergongheon, Ste Florine, Le Puy en Velay | |
| 56 | 21 | Lorlanges | Lorlanges, Ardres s. Couze | Aire de Lafayette via this junction |
| 61 | 22 | Espalem, Blesle, Brioude | Le Puy en Velay, Espalem, Blesle, Brioude | |
| 66 | 23 | Massiac, Aurillac, Murat, Le Lioran | - | Southbound exit and northbound entry only |
| 68.5 | 24 | - | Massiac | Southbound entry and northbound exit only |
| 81 | 25 | St-Poncy | St-Poncy | |
| 85 | 26 | Vieillespesse | Vieillespesse | |
| 87.5 | 27 | Coren, Montchamp | Montchamp | |
| 92.5 | 28 | St-Flour, Chaudes-Aigues, Espalion | St-Flour bel-air, Coren | |
| 96.5 | 29 | St-Flour belle vue, St Georges | Aurillac, St Flour centre, Murat, Le Lioran | |
| 100.5 | 30 | Ruynes-en-Margeride | Ruynes-en-Margeride | |
| 108.5 | 31 | Loubaresse | Loubaresse, Viaduc de Gabarit | |
| 117 | 32 | La Garde, Le Bacon | La Garde, Le Bacon | Access to La Lozère services and Geoscope |
| 122.5 | 33 | St-Chély-d'Apcher, Le Malzieu-Ville, Fournels | - | Southbound exit and northbound entry only |
| 128.5 | 34 | St-Chély-d'Apcher, Rimeize, St-Alban-sur-Limagnole | St-Chély-d'Apcher, St-Alban-sur-Limagnole, Le Malzieu-Ville, Fournels | |
| 134 | 35 | Aumont-Aubrac, Nabrinals | - | Southbound exit and northbound entry only |
| 138.5 | 36 | - | Aumont-Aubrac | Southbound entry and northbound exit only |
| 146.5 | 37 | Le Buisson | Le Buisson | |
| 153 | 38 | Antrenes, Marvejols | Antrenes, Marvejols, Nasbinals | |
| 162 | 39 | Le Monastier, Chirac, Chanac, Florac | Mende, Le Monastier, Chirac, Chanac, Florac | |
| 163 | 39.1 | | | |
| 168.5 | 39.2 | St-Germain-du-Teil | - | Southbound exit only |
| 172 | 40 | La Canourge, Banassac, St-Germain-du-Teil | La Canourge, Banassac, St-Germain-du-Teil | |
| 182.5 | 41 | Campagnac, St-Geniez-d'Olt | Campagnac, St-Geniez-d'Olt | |
| 190 | 42 | Rodez, Sévérac-le-Château, le Massegros, Laissac | Rodez, Sévérac-le-Château, Laissac | A68 junction. Access to Aveyron services |
| 193 | 43 | - | Le Massegros | Southbound entry and northbound exit only |
| 200.5 | 44 | Engayresque | Engayresque | |
| 210 | 44.1 | Aguessac, Micropolis, Vezins de Levezon, Pont de Salars, Meyrenes | Cahors, Aguessac, Pont de Salars, Meyrenes | |
| 215 | 45 | St-Germain, St Beauzély, Castelnau de Petgarolles | Millau, St Beauzély, Castelnau de Petgarolles | TOLL SECTION SOUTH TO JUNCTION 46 |
| | | | | Toll barrier |
| 223 | 46 | La Bastide-Pradines, St-Rome-de-Cernon, Roquefort, St Affrique | - | TOLL SECTION NORTH TO JUNCTION 45 |
| 234.5 | 47 | Millau sud, la Cavalerie, Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon | Millau, la Cavalerie, Roquefort, St Affrique | |
| 244 | 48 | L'Hospitalet-du-Larzac, La Couvertoirade, Cornus, Alzon, La Vigan | L'Hospitalet-du-Larzac, Cornus, Alzon | |
| 257.5 | 49 | Le Caylar, Lunas, Bedarieux, Cirque de Navacelles | Le Caylar, La Couvertoirade | Access to Le Caylar services |
| 260 | 50 | - | St-Félix-de-l'Héras | Southbound entry and northbound exit only |
| 267 | 51 | Pégairolles-de-l'Escalette | Pégairolles-de-l'Escalette | |
| 271.5 | 52 | Lodève nord, Soubès | Le Vignan, Ganges, Lodève nord, Soubès | |
| 275.5 | 53 | - | Lodève sud, Lunas | Southbound entry and northbound exit only |
| 280 | 54 | Le Bosc | Le Bosc | No southbound entry |
| 283 | 55 | - | Le Bosc, Lac du Salagou | Southbound entry and northbound exit only |
| 285-289.5 | 56 | Salelles | Salelles, L'Oasis | No Southbound entry |
| 289.5 | | Montpellier | Montpellier, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, Gignac, St André-de-Sangonis | Junction with A750 |
| 294.5 | 57 | Clermont-l'Hérault, Nébian, Canet, Bedarieux | Clermont-l'Hérault, Bedarieux, Canet, Lac du Salagou | |
| 305.5 | 58 | Paulhan, Adissan, Lézignan-la-Cèbe | Paulhan, Adissan | |
| 310 | 59 † | Pézenas nord, Sète, Montagnac, Mèze, Marseillan | Sète, Montagnac, Mèze, Marseillan | |
| | 59.1 † | Pézenas sud, Castelnau-de-Guers | Pézenas sud, Castelnau-de-Guers | |
| | 60 † | Agde, Cap d'Agde | - | Southbound exit and northbound entry only |
| | 61 † | Pézenas ouest | Roujan, Pézenas ouest | |
| 324 | 62 | Servian, Montblanc | Florensac, Servian, Valros, Montblanc | |
| 331 | 63 | Narbonne, Béziers Centre | - | Southbound exit and northbound entry only |
| 332 | 64 | Valras-Plage, Serignan, Béziers Cap d'Agde Airport, Béziers | Béziers Centre | |
| 333 | | | | Toll barrier |
| 334 | | | | Junction with A9 |
    † The section between junctions 59 and 61 (the Pézenas by-pass) was not technically motorway and was still designated as the N9, despite the depiction on most maps. Work to upgrade the section to full motorway status was carried out between September 2013 and June 2014.
In May 2007, construction started on the final section of the A75, a connection from Pézenas to the A9 autoroute a kilometre or so east of the previous Béziers east intersection 35. The route to the south of the present D609 Pézenas-Béziers road bypassing Valros opened in February 2009. Further sections opened in spring 2010. The final section, a gap between Valros and Servian, was completed in December 2010. According to Serge Cuculière, construction operations manager, the delay was due to difficulties encountered on the section ("Les difficultés recontrées sur la section exigent un temps de réalisation plus important").